I have just shared an opportunity of a lifetime with 12 other men. We were blessed to take part in the first ever workshop at the incredible Copper Ridge Conference Center (CRCC). The views are world class, the facility is superb and the food provided by the administration was wonderful. Nature was on display in so many ways with beautiful flowers and even a bear sighting. While retreats at CRCC are also amazing, there are many aspects of a workshop that are different.
Retreats are silent and focussed on growing in our personal relationship with Jesus. Workshops are twice as long and focus more on the family life of Opus Dei as well as the study of Church doctrine. Every year we also take a course on an aspect of our faith such as liturgy or Mariology. We receive talks on family and professional life that help us to build the virtues required to sanctify those two key areas in which we develop our faith.
My career is in the sports field and I understand well the significant advantage of having a coach to work with. A workshop also gives one lots of time to take advantage of the “spiritual coaching” offered by the priest and the director in order to learn more about oneself and to set goals to keep developing spiritually.
Because workshops are longer than a retreat, the two hour recreation period in the afternoon gives us informal time to build wonderful friendships with each other as we take advantage of the natural surroundings by going for hikes, swimming at nearby Browning Lake in Murrin Park, celebrating birthdays, etc.
Anyone who experiences a workshop at Copper Ridge will, by the end, fall in love with the experience!